58 The yoiinial of Forestry. 



Trmmiclions of the Scottish Arhorkultural Societij. Vol, VI 11. Part II. 

 Edited by the Secretary, John Sadler, F.R.P.S.E. Edinburgh : 

 Printed fur the Society by M'Farh\ue and Erskiue. 



The annual instahnent of the Transactions of this industrious and most 

 useful institution, the only " arboricultural " society in Great Britain, 

 contains a number of valuable contributions to the scientific and practical 

 literature of forestry, which \i\\\ be read with the greatest interest by all 

 who have watched the progress of the society from a humble beginning ou 

 the IGth of February, 1854, to its present prominent and flourishing posi- 

 tion. For some years after its commencement the whole of the Society's 

 yearly Transactions were easily contained in a few pages ; bub the present 

 volume extends to over 200 pages of most interesting and instrnctivc 

 matter, embracing essays and reports on a wide range of topics, from the 

 anatomical structure of the leaf of an Abies to the best method of 

 seasoning timber. 



The first paper in this part is a carefully worked out, and very in- 

 teresting essay " On the Anatomical Structure of the Leaf, as a means of 

 determining the species of Abies," by Dr. W. E. McNab, Professor of 

 Botany, lloyal College of Science, Dublin, who gives a concise and lucid 

 description of thestructureof theleaves of 23 species of Abies, and 5 species of 

 Pseudotsuga (Carriere), illustrated by an excellent plate of sections of twelve 

 of the species described, showing the distinctive features of each by the 

 position and form of its characteristic parts, viz., the central sheath of fibro- 

 vascular bundles, resin canals, hypodermn, epidermis, and stomata. The 

 article will well repay perusal by all forestei's as well as botanists ; but it is 

 to be wished that hard scientific names could be avoided as much ns pos- 

 sible in such an article, for the sake of those members of the Society who 

 have not had the benefit cf a classical education, and probably do not 

 possess even a good botanical dictionary. 



" On the Timber Supply of Australia." By the Hon. Mr. Kirchaufi", 

 Member of the Legislative Assembly' of South Australia ; with a 

 Note by Robert Hutchison, Esq., of Carlowrie, V.P.S.A. Soc. In this 

 valuable and comprehensive paper upon the present state and prospects 

 of the forests and timber supply of Australia, Mr. Kirchautt" enters 

 into many interesting details, some of which we hope to be able to 

 place before our readers in a future number, but at present we need only 

 quote jMr. Hutchison's opinion of it, than wdiom few can speak with 

 better authority on the subject. lie says, " The following deeply interesting 

 and instructive paper was recently read before a meeting of the Chamber of 

 Manufacturers, in the South Australian Institute, Adelaide, under the 

 presidency of his Excellency the Governor of South Australia. As much 

 of the ground so ably traversed in his address is very suggestive, and at 

 the same time instructive to the practical forester of our own country, 

 and to the younger members of the Scottish Arboricultural Society, Mr. 

 Kirchauff's paper is here reproduced, in the hope of showing the strenuous 

 calls for forest conservancy and extension of plantation works which exist, 

 and are being grappled with in some of the most important colonies of the 

 British Crown. A perusal of the views of so able an advocate as Mr. 

 KirchauflF may suggest reflections applicable to our own native land, and 

 arouse arboriculturists to the fact that, if such conditions of necessity for 

 forest conservancy exist in comparatively sparsely peopled and new 

 countries, it is surely the more incumbent upon the practical labourer in 

 the cause of arboriculture in the mother country to endeavour by all the 

 means in his power to further the art of his profession, and to ])romote the 



